


Right here next to you

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: How to woo your local barista [12]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Barista Raphael, Cuddling & Snuggling, Demisexual Raphael Santiago, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Homoromantic Raphael Santiago, M/M, Mention of death (Simon's dad), Non-Sexual Intimacy, Not Beta Read, Pansexual Simon Lewis, sad simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 13:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7894780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something was up. He already noticed the lack of emojis in Simon's text throughout the day but the tone of his messages now had Raphael slightly worried. He had assumed his lover just had a bad day, everybody had those, and he had been so swamped with work that there was no real time to ask about it. Now, though, Raphael cursed himself for not asking the other if he was alright because he just <em>knew</em> Simon wasn't and work might be important but he still felt like an ignorant asshole for not saying anything.</p><p><strong>To Cariño</strong> [10:36] <em>Got home about 5 minutes ago. Sorry, didn't see your other messages until just now. Of course, I don't mind. I'm tired and annoyed from work, yes, but I would never pass up an opportunity to see your face.</em></p><p><strong>To Cariño</strong> [10:37] <em>Are you okay, baby? I could come pick you up.</em></p><p>This pet name sure was a new one and Raphael hadn't even been aware of using it until it was too late, the message already sent. <em>Ah, well</em>. His cheeks grew a little warmer and hopefully Simon wouldn't mind being called that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right here next to you

**Author's Note:**

> This is not exactly a happy chapter like the others but there's a lot of cuddling involved and Raphael being a sweet, attentive boyfriend :)
> 
> Also, I made a second aesthetic on Tumblr for this series, [check it out](http://mckvch.tumblr.com/post/149579320277) ♥

Raphael fell on his bed face first and closed his eyes with an annoyed huff. He hated the rare occasions when he had to do a late shift at the coffee shop. Usually, he worked from 7am to 3pm but today he had to start at 2pm and worked until 10pm. The first two hours had been kind of relaxed and okay but as soon as people got off work the coffee shop was suddenly run over by customers. Of course, the mornings were a little stressful as well but only for the first one, two hours when people got their caffeine fix before work, university or even school. But the rest of the early shift was usually pretty chill and only around midday more people came in again during their breaks. The late shift, though, felt like about two hours of relaxation and then four hours of hell breaking loose. Raphael loved his job but he _hated_ the late shift.

He only moved when the phone in his pocket vibrated with probably a new message from Simon and that was the only reason he rolled onto his back to reach for it. A tiny smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when it was indeed a new message from his boyfriend but the smile was replaced by a small frown just as quickly as it had appeared when he saw the messages Simon must have sent while he had been on his way home and didn't notice the vibrations of his phone.

 **From Cariño** [10:09] _Would you mind if I came over?_

 **From Cariño** [10:13] _I know we see each other tomorrow and that it's late, you probably want to go sleep right after all the stress at work? It's fine if you say no._

 **From Cariño** [10:34] _Are you home now?_

Something was up. He already noticed the lack of emojis in Simon's text throughout the day but the tone of his messages now had Raphael slightly worried. He had assumed his lover just had a bad day, everybody had those, and he had been so swamped with work that there was no real time to ask about it. Now, though, Raphael cursed himself for not asking the other if he was alright because he just _knew_ Simon wasn't and work might be important but he still felt like an ignorant asshole for not saying anything.

 **To Cariño** [10:36] _Got home about 5 minutes ago. Sorry, didn't see your other messages until just now. Of course, I don't mind. I'm tired and annoyed from work, yes, but I would never pass up an opportunity to see your face._

 **To Cariño** [10:37] _Are you okay, baby? I could come pick you up._

This pet name sure was a new one and Raphael hadn't even been aware of using it until it was too late, the message already sent. _Ah, well_. His cheeks grew a little warmer and hopefully Simon wouldn't mind being called that.

 **From Cariño** [10:41] _I'm fine. I'm on my way now._

Raphael sighed and it was pretty clear his boyfriend was _not_ fine but he could ask about it in person when the elder arrived. He got up from his bed a yawned, scrubbing a hand over his face, and padded over to his closet to change into more comfortable clothes for the night.

***

Raphael just finished making tea when Simon arrived. If it hadn't been clear already that the other wasn't feeling okay, it was pretty damn obvious upon seeing him. The elder's eyes were red-rimmed as if he had cried or had been on the verge of tears, and Raphael pulled him into the apartment, hugging the slightly taller boy right away.

"What's the matter, baby?" Raphael asked gently and pressed a feathery kiss to his boyfriend's messy hair. Simon buried his face in his boyfriend's shoulder, fingers curling into the other's shirt and Raphael felt the body in his arms tremble ever so slightly.

"It's the anniversary of my dad's death," Simon mumbled into the fabric of the younger's shirt and it broke Raphael's heart to hear his lover sound so small and broken. He had known about the other's father dying when he had been 11 but he never asked when or why because it was a painful subject and he knew Simon would tell him when he felt ready to open up about this.

"I'm so sorry," Raphael whispered and he knew _sorry_ didn't change a thing, it didn't make it hurt less, but there was no right, wrong or better reaction to such news. He hugged his boyfriend a little tighter and brushed his lips against Simon's temple.

"Come on, I put clothes on the bed for you to wear. Go change and I get the tea I just made, okay?" He suggested softly and got the tiniest of nods in return. Simon kicked off his shoes and slowly made his way to Raphael's room. His gaze followed his lover and he suppressed a sigh at the sight of the other's slumped shoulders and bowed head. The sadness was almost radiating off of Simon and Raphael really hoped he could make the elder feel at least a little better.

He took his time walking into the kitchen and grabbing the two mugs of steaming hot tea so Simon could get changed. When Raphael entered his bedroom, though, the other hadn't gotten further than pulling off his hoodie, shirt and change from his jeans to the younger's sweatpants. He placed both mugs on the bedside table and stepped closer to Simon, who face the window and seemed to be watching a beginning spring downpour.

"It's been 9 years but it feels like it just happened last year."

Raphael almost didn't hear the words; Simon's voice barely a whisper in the dimly lit bedroom. His eyes roamed the pale skin of the other's back and his fingers itched to reach out, touch and comfort his lover but he didn't know if Simon might want a little distance right now. He couldn't keep his distance for very long, though, because a brokenly mumbled "I miss him" reached his eyes, Simon's head bowed even more and his shoulders started trembling. One step forward and Raphael was able to loop his arm around the elder's middle, gently lead Simon to his bed and sat down while pulling the other into himself. Simon went willingly, almost melting into Raphael's embrace and buried his face into the crook of his lover's neck with a barely audible little sob.

"It's okay. I got you," Raphael murmured into the other's hair and pulled him closer, gently wrapping his arms a little tighter about the trembling, silently crying boy. His fingertips brushed the warm skin of Simon's back, drawing invisible patterns onto the soft surface. Raphael felt like it might have been quite a while since the last time Simon allowed himself to be sad and cry about losing his father. Of course, it hurt to see the other like this but Raphael was still glad his lover had come to him that he trusted him enough to let go and just _feel_.

It took some time until Simon finally managed to stop crying and only a few sniffles could be heard every now and then. Raphael had held him the whole time, mumbling words in Spanish every few minutes and it didn't matter that his lover didn’t understand anything because the Raphael's soothing voice and presence were much more helpful than any word could ever be. Simon's fingers, still buried in his lover's shirt, softly pulled at the thin fabric and the quiet mumble of "Can I take it off?" made Raphael smile, despite the slightly rough sound of the elder's voice after all the crying.

He answered by loosening the embrace, lifting his arms a little in a silent _go ahead_ because he understood the reason for this request even without explanation. There was nothing remotely sexual about the action of Simon gently pulling his shirt off, both of them topless now, but the sole purpose was being close to each other. To seek comfort in the feel of another person's body, the sensation of warm skin against the own. There was no awkwardness or nervousness about the first time seeing each other's bare torsos because this wasn't the time for any of this.

As soon as his shirt was gone, Raphael wrapped his arms back around his lover, pulled him into a lying position - Simon's back pressed against his chest, one hand resting on the elder's lower ribs and the fingers of his other hand were intertwined with Simon's. They stayed like this for a few minutes, the tea long forgotten and cooled down by now, and after a few moment the older boy started talking in a low, slightly scratchy and wobbly voice; He told Raphael about his father, what he loved and hated, how much fun the summer holidays of his childhood had been with all the trips his family made and the weird stories his dad told to keep everybody entertained during long car rides. Simon told about how his father always took Rebecca and him fishing but he had always been too twitchy and restless, driving the fish away so most of the time none of them managed to catch any - but it had been fun anyway and his dad had loved fishing for just sitting there, enjoying the calm and quiet, and not for hunting and killing animals. Sometimes his father wouldn't even use bait and he never put bait on the hook of Simon's fishing rod because even as a young boy he never wanted to harm an animal.

It was way past midnight when they finally fell asleep, all wrapped up in one another, and Simon had shed some more tears talking about the fond memories of his father, he had been calm and relaxed when sleep finally came over him. Raphael still didn't know how his lover's father had died but he had preferred hearing about what a loving parent Mr Lewis had been and he was sad to never be able to meet the man but at least he got to know him a little through Simon's memories.


End file.
